Julie Hesmondhalgh on Celebrity Traitors Exit: 'I Left With My Head Held High'

Soap star Julie Hesmondhalgh, the latest contestant to be eliminated from The Traitors, has stated she departed the competition with her "head held high."

Hesmondhalgh, known for her role as Hayley Cropper in Coronation Street, was a faithful contestant in the second series of the BBC One show before being voted out by her fellow players on Friday. She expressed surprise at her banishment, telling BBC Radio Manchester, "It became clear it was going to be me and I was a bit worried. I did feel it was my time and I left with my head held high. But I have to say I had some very gratifying apologetic texts on Friday night."

She described her experience on the game show as "amazing," adding, "I absolutely loved it. I'm a huge fan of the show anyway. I've watched every episode of them all."

Hesmondhalgh revealed she was personally invited to participate in the show last year while the first series was airing. "They came to see me in my dressing room and asked me. I couldn't believe it. I like fell on the floor. Keeping it a secret was so, so hard."

As the third celebrity to be banished from Traitors' Castle, Hesmondhalgh admitted that watching herself on the show was stressful. "I can't tell you how stressful it is to watch yourself - especially when you're playing badly," she said. "I was doing good but I knew what was to come. I knew I'd turn into this crazy lady Traitor hunter."

She added that her "overriding feeling now is total relief that I can watch it as a fan again - because my nervous system will never recover." She also noted, "It was a total thrill to be in there. And amazing to be representing - not just the North West - but the whole of the north."

Hesmondhalgh stated she is now looking forward to watching the remainder of the series and is supporting fellow contestants Sharon Rooney, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, and Bash Sebastian Croft.